Celebrate Arbor Day - Thank A Tree!

Apr
27,
2017
|

As residents of New England, we are lucky to be surrounded by gorgeous landscapes filled with lots of trees. We can see such species as Oak, Maple, Beech, Pine, Birch, Ash, Spruce and more. Our trees are famous! We have Maple trees that provide us maple syrup – a treat to enjoy on pancakes, waffles and ice cream. Our hardwoods change color each autumn to create an explosion of reds, oranges and yellows – a phenomenon unique to New England! These trees combined with many others are a strong part of the image that people have of New England.

As we go through each day, these trees are also important to our quality of life. Trees provide us the raw materials to build our homes. Trees produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air. Trees provide fuel to heat our homes – including the wood pellets sold by Lyme Green Heat. Trees are integral to our health and our local economies.

This year, National Arbor Day is April 28, 2017. Take a moment in your day this Friday and celebrate the importance of trees in our lives. Collectively the impact of trees is amazing. From the stunning visual beauty of our forests to the fresh air we breathe, forests and the trees in them contribute much to our health and well-being and to the communities we live in.

Planting trees is a simple thing everyone can do to help the environment. No matter where you live, you can plant trees...and take a proactive, positive step toward keeping our planet healthy.

Visit www.arborday.org to learn more about Arbor Day celebrations and the role that trees play in the short and long-term health of our planet.

Here are some of the benefits that trees provide to us and our environment (courtesy of the Arbor Day Foundation):

Trees help clean our drinking water.

In 1997, New York City spent $1.5 billion to preserve the forested watershed that supplies New York City’s drinking water by purchasing thousands of upstate acres of forested watershed. A filtration plant large enough to clean New York City’s water supply would have cost more than $6 billion dollars.Ecosystem Marketplace, 2006

Trees help us save energy.

Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30% and can save 20–50% in energy used for heating.U.S. Forest Service

The average Cincinnati community tree saves the average household $56 annually in cooling costs by reducing electricity use. More than 85,000 Cincinnati community trees save residents $4.8 million.

Carefully positioned trees can reduce a household’s energy consumption for heating and cooling by up to 25%. Computer models devised by the U.S. Department of Energy predict that the proper placement of only three trees can save an average household between $100 and $250 in energy costs annually.Energy.gov

Trees benefit wildlife.

Trees and forests provide important species range. Many animals have a range of hundreds of square miles. The mountain lion of North America, for instance, has a range of nearly 400 square miles.National Geographic

Trees are a good investment of our public dollars

Every dollar spent on planting and caring for a community tree yields benefits that are two to five times that investment—benefits that include cleaner air, lower energy costs, improved water quality and storm water control and increased property values.U.S. Forest Service, 2011

A cost-benefit analysis of the Berkeley, California, tree canopy indicated that each camphor tree had an annual net benefit to the city and its residents of nearly $12,500, each shamel ash showed a $9,600 annual net benefit, and each London planetree had an annual net benefit of more than $8,700 per tree.2005

Trees increase our property values.

In Portland, Oregon, homes with street trees sold for $7,130 more, on average, and 1.7 days more quickly.U.S. Forest Service, 2008

Neighboring houses within 100 feet of street trees sold for $1,688 more, on average.

The sale premium of having street trees was the same as adding 129 square feet of finished space.

In Fulton County (Atlanta), Georgia, mature trees positively influenced home sale prices. Homes sold for nearly $105,000 more in neighborhoods with mature trees.University of Georgia, 2002